Balmorra:
"Yes, I agree," Jeren concurs with a slight nod. "The faster we get this over with, the faster your friend is safe and sound. And the faster we get back to our ship and the rest of our friends."
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Balmorra: "Any idea what that is?"[/b] The question refers to the formidable-looking space station. There is an involuntary shudder as Jeren looks at it for a few moments. "Although I am fairly certain it would not do us any good to find ourselves near it, whatever it is."
Balmorra: "That is interesting," Jeren remarks. "Any idea what kind of raw materials? Or what their use is? Something important, I assume, if they have this special permit. I would expect the Empire to inspect pretty much anything on principle alone."
Drunken Dewback: "That does not sound like a very reasonable price," Jeren interjects, his voice even, his tone conversational. "You must be thinking of very small tasks. Certainly smaller than what my Captain talked about. Helping with security and navigation should be worth quite a few credits, yes? What is that they say? Time is money?"
He pauses for but a moment, allowing himself the opportunity to concentrate and reach into the Force for assistance. "I would assume if each of us pays you, what, something around 1000 credits, that would be a reasonable amount. You do agree, do you not?"
"Well, call me pessimistic, but seeing as how it is called the Drunken Dewback, I somehow very much doubt it," Jeren replies in a conversational tone as the trio make their way to the aforementioned establishment.
"I think if we are to split up, then doing so evenly is probably the best choice," Jeren offers, essentially agreeing with Vessani. "It may be only truffles, Jarl, but they are expensive ones. And one never knows who may catch wind of such a delivery and want to do something about it."
"Somehow I imagine doing something about it more or less equals getting as far away from it as fast as possible without raising suspicion," Jeren returns more than a little drily.
Taking no chances like before, especially given the greater speed with which the barabels drive this time, Jeren holds on as the vehicle hastens to its destination. "I do not like this," he calls out to the others. "The arrival of a Star Destroyer is an ominous event in itself. But to find out that such a thing is also quite the rarity here?"
"A Star Destroyer?" The question is more a thought spoken out loud. 'I wonder if the feeling I had earlier involved this ship's arrival,' he finishes the thought in his mind. "We should not prolong our stay here, Captain," he then adds.
NT-2B processes for a moment before replying. "It is an interesting question." He replies. "As I was independently-manufactured, I do not have any inherent bias against the Jedi. I can understand why Cloaked Wisdom would desire to keep this aspect of his life a secret, and in attempting to protect him, I would do so as well."
"Nothing for me, thank you," Jeren says before turning to Daaneth. "Still, it does feel a little strange, right? I mean, certainly not all black market items are necessarily more than meets the eye, but truffles? And just that?"
"If the giggling is any indication, then no, it does not," Jeren remarks quite drily. "At least it is faint and they are trying to stifle it, so points for the attempt I suppose." "We have come for...," he speaks up, raising his voice and then pausing, quite possibly for dramatic effect, before continuing, "...the truffles." He turns to look at Daaneth and Vessani. "I simply could not help myself."
Holding onto the railing of the truck -no need to be reckless, after all- Jeren accompanies his two friends, keeping his eyes on the Barabels. He is not actually expecting them to try anything but years of being careful are not easy to let go, not entirely at least. Vessani's attempt at starting a conversation is welcome though, as one can only take so much silence before at the very least growing bored of it. Besides, it would not hurt if they do manage to find out more about the man they are to do business with before meeting him.
"I would not mind tagging along as well if you do not mind Captain," Jeren speaks up. "I am sure the cargo bed will be fine. As long as they do not speed up too much anyway."
"Excellent advice," Jeren agrees with a smile directed at the droid, "especially taking into account our own lack of such teeth and claws. Sharp ones anyway."
"Yes, indeed," Jeren adds his own voice in agreement. "Just because our cargo is going to be desserts, that does not mean there will not be trouble." Thinking back to the mission with the furs and the gems within them, he adds, "We are sure it is just truffles, right?"
"Interstellar commerce," Jeren quips, repeating Jarl's words. "It sounds so... official. Almost like your average legitimate trader, which we are. Of course."
"Have we now?" The words are muttered softly as Jeren stops walking for but a moment. "Well, until the next time and the next... test," he quips with a shrug, resuming his walk towards their ship.
"Do keep in mind my friend," Jeren retorts to NT-2B with a smile, "that Jace's people also kept their fair share of secrets in their dealings with others now and then. They did not trust everybody, although sometimes they had a good reason, I am sure." He then turns to Vessani. "He could very well be wary of the Empire finding out. Or his wife. Both could be equally dangerous." "Trust, and in this case lack of it, do tend to be mutual, yes," he says finally, his smile undiminished. "But I just cannot help but wonder if in this case the job with the worse reward was the better choice." "Ah, well," he finally concludes with a shrug, "we may never find out. Now, shall we get some rich people their just desserts?" With the matter more or less settled, Jeren stands up and exits the room, his destination the group's ship. And still having his doubts about Stanwell and his task and with only one "ally" left whose opinion he has not heard, he decides to ask. That "ally" is the Force.
"Come now Jace," Jeren remarks calmly, casually. "The man owed us no respect, for the man did not even know us mere minutes ago." He shrugs. "Respect is earned. So, even if he did know us, what is it that we have done so far to earn his? We are smugglers more or less, are we not?" He turns to the rest of the group, with a smile and his hands up in a sort of placating gesture. "Not that it has not been fun, mind you."
Jeren remains expressionless for a moment. And then he chuckles. "Well," he finally says shaking his head, "that went well." "A leap of faith," he says softly, repeating Fialla's words. His tone is strange, as if reminiscing. And his laughter is no more.
Although Jeren perceives no falsehoods, still he recognizes that some of his companions do. And with his Captain and the droid being more than a little persuasive, each in their own way, he remains silent. Instead of speaking alongside them, he simply chooses to observe the man who introduced himself as Stanwell.
Jeren is hardly surprised by the man's lack of trust, for he does feel like so despite hiding it rather well. 'It is not like he knows us after all,' he ponders briefly before following Earl's example and introducing himself as well. "Greetings. My name is Jeren."
"A collector," Jeren says as he thinks on it for a moment before answering to Daaneth. "I would not say I am. But I do have a fondness for gems, at least for those ones that catch my eye. They may be very valuable, they may not, but still. As long as I find them interesting I suppose." He shrugs. "And besides, there are places out there that credits may not be worth much and where goods and services are provided by trading some other goods or services for them." "Not that I am in a hurry to trade this little gem away after all this trouble, mind you," he adds with a little smile.
Securing the uncut gem inside his utility belt, Jeren suppresses a smile and listens to the rest of the crew, the Captain especially. "So we have a destination it seems," he pipes in. "New sights, new people, new jobs." He sighs. "I must admit, this kind of life is really growing on me."
Jeren takes his time, looking over the gems in both briefcases, even picking some of them up for a closer examination before finally -apparently- making up his mind. "This," he says, an uncut amethyst resting in his palm, "should do nicely. It seems to be of adequate worth, yes?" He shrugs with a smile one might describe as sheepish. "That and I have always been fond of this color."
Having opted to keep his lightsaber on him in the same manner he has always done -disassembled and divided among different compartments of his utility belt- Jeren exits the ship and joins the rest of the crew. He keeps quiet for the time being, the presence of the stormtroopers unnerving him just a little bit more than he would like or expect.
"What now?" Jeren's tone appears nonchalant, indifferent even. At the same time though his mind races. 'A Star Destroyer? Is it a coincidence? Or could it be related to the crystal?'
"Ah, right," Jeren says in an off-handed manner, "the payment from our last job. I had almost forgotten about it in all the... excitement." "Judgement. Such an ominous name," he remarks. "I do not believe I have heard of such an organisation, so perhaps a new or small one? Or a very successful one if their goal is secrecy rather than fame?"
"If the story of Count Dooku tells us anything," Jeren speaks up after listening to the conversation intently, "it is that the Jedi are hardly infallible and incorruptible themselves." He pauses then as if in thought. "Still," he continues, "if these items, these... artifacts are as you say they are, I suppose they are safer in the hands of a Jedi. At least a member of that Order would probably know what to look for when safekeeping such things?" He then turns to Jace with a mirthless smile. "But, and this is just an opinion of course, do take care not to have too much confidence in your ability to keep not only them safe but yourself as well. Overconfidence can be a dangerous thing after all." He shrugs. "Or so I have heard being said."
"Now now, Captain," Jeren answers with a little smile, "what kind of part of a crew of rogues and ne'er-do-wells would I be if I always followed your orders?" "I think I will stick around," he adds with a shrug. "And in case you are about to try to refuse my coming with you, I should remind you that Jace tried the same thing earlier and it did not really work."
Carrying his fair share of books, Jeren follows Daaneth and Jarl into Molch's yacht, while the rest of the group enter the Fireburst, joining Fialla. As he puts the volumes down, stretching his arms for a moment, he listens to the two men's banter. And he cannot help but smile. "Well," he remarks, his nonchalant tone hardly hiding how he truly feels, "this was fun."
"Seeing as how we are in a bit of a hurry," Jeren quips, all the while helping Daaneth with the books, "it is probably a good idea to leave such discussions for later?" "More grabbing, less talking," he adds.
"You do not say," Jeren mutters under his breath as he too can feel the power of the Dark Side permeating this particular part of the building, his hand almost going for his lightsaber as if on instinct. Almost, but not quite.
Perhaps a little disappointed that he was not able to ascertain the items' location like Jace and feeling just a little discomfort, Jeren nevertheless moves towards the door the Vurk indicated, stopping short of opening it. "Perhaps there is an alarm? Or even a trap?"
Finally close to the items they seek, Jeren opens himself up to the Force, letting it serve as his eyes and ears in their search for the artifacts. After using his abilities sparingly for quite some time the ex-Jedi finds it a welcome change.
As Jeren enters the lift alongside Vessani and Jace, he looks to the others. "There is room for one more," he says with a shrug. "Perhaps whoever is not coming should prep the ship? Something tells me we may need to make a quick exit." There is the hint of a smile forming on his lips. It would appear he is enjoying this.
"I believe we were about to go towards the hangar?" As Jeren looks to the droid, his words are more of a suggestion rather than a question.
"We have the schematics and we know that the... treasure rooms are behind the throne room," Jeren offers. "So it stands to reason that the secret path ouside would be either from those treasure rooms or the throne room to the outside, somewhere that has the least possibility of people passing by, a back alley or a dead end or something to that effect, yes?" He then turns to NT-2B. "So, could you possibly extrapolate at the very least a limited number of such possible routes given the schematics themselves and the parameters we have for a secret way out that would enable Molch to both leave as quickly as possible and with as much of his stash as possible?" And then, feeling truly at an impasse, he turns to one more ally. The Force.
"So we are looking for a path that probably connects his private quarters to both the place he keeps his most valuable possessions as well as the outside," Jeren suggests. "An escape route with a quick stop along the way. After all, a greedy crime lord will not be leaving his belongings behind if he can help it." He sighs. "And I am guessing it would be too much to ask for such a route to appear on the schematics of this place, yes?"
"We have hit a wall, so to speak," Jeren speaks softly through his comm to Daaneth as he follows Jace and NT-2B out of the room. "Molch is having a meeting with his lieutenant, Krazaa, and a guest, Gendro Moln, about... ahem... some of his guards disappearing earlier. So we are not able to meet him at this moment, not without resorting to violence it seems."
Letting NT-2B do the talking, as the droid appears quite good at it, Jeren opens himself to the Force. 'Jace did mention artifacts,' he ponders as his senses expand.
"I rather insist," Jeren says simply as he joins Jace. "Besides, from what I know of the Jedi, you are hardly incorruptible yourselves." "Captain, I am sure you can handle taking Fialla to safety?" The question is addressed to Daaneth, Jeren pausing just long enough to hear the Togruta's reply before resuming his following Jace. If their Captain does not object that is.
"I will go with you," Jeren offers as the Vurk starts to go. "After all, you may need a hand carrying them, yes?"
"So," Jeren says as he takes a look at the door, blaster pistol at the ready, "any of you know how to open this?"
"Jace, keep in mind that even if the computer forgets us, these gentlemen here will not," Jeren points out, pointing to the remaining guards, especially the one that up until a few seconds ago was being held aloft through the Force. "And knowledge of the whereabouts of a Force user is highly sought after," he continues in a much softer voice so as to be heard by his friends only.
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